Besides, no one told Cassie what to do. As long as he had known her,she'd been stubborn and headstrong and had done what she damned wellpleased, somehow managing to get around her parents.
Well, she wouldn't get around him. He was determined to work with herand not let her bother him. Sure, McGuire. He was lying through hisperfect white teeth, and he knew it.
While Cassie had been verbally shredding his ass, she had never lookedmore desirable. Just thinking about her flashing eyes and juttingbreasts made him want her, something that wasn't going to happen.
Why couldn't he let her and that one summer evening go?
What was done was done. He couldn't change that. What he could changewas his out-of-control libido.
Unable to bear his thoughts or his office a minute longer, Austincharged out the door, not stopping until he was in his car. He didn'tknow where he was heading until he pulled into the Worthams' circulardrive.
He knew for a fact that Cassie was still at the hotel, meeting withseveral women's groups who wanted to use the facility for their monthlymeetings.
Whether she was at home or not wouldn't have made a difference. He wanted to check on Wilma, as well as James, whom he hadn't seen inseveral days.
Cassie's presence had altered his routine. He no longer felt comfortablejust popping in when the notion hit him. Cursing, Austin braked the carand got out.
Joy answered the door and greeted him with a smile and a hug.
"We've been missing you."
"I've been missing your buttermilk biscuits."
"It's your own fault." "Who's fault is what?" James asked, suddenly
rounding the corner.
When he saw Austin, his face lit up, and he smiled.
"It's about time you showed your mug around here."
Austin shook James's outstretched hand.
"It's past time."
"Come on in. I'm in the library with Tyler. You've never had the
pleasure of meeting my grandson, right?"
"Right," Austin responded in a low, uncertain tone.
James grinned.
"He's a super kid."
Austin duplicated his grin.
"Man, it didn't take you long to turn into the doting grandparent."
"Once you meet him, you'll see why." "So how's Wilma?" Austin asked as
they headed toward the library.
"Not good today, I'm afraid," James replied.
"Tell her I asked about her, and that I'll see her another time."
James nodded, remaining sober until they reached the room where Tyler
sat on the sofa, a computer on his lap.
"Tyler I'd like you to meet a special friend of mine, Austin McGuire."
Austin watched as Tyler looked up, giving him a quick once-over before returning his attention to the computer.
"Hi, Mr. McGuire."
"Call me Austin, okay?"
"Okay," Tyler said in a haphazard tone, his attention back on the screen.
James did indeed have reason to be proud of his grandson, Austin thought as he looked at the child. Tyler certainly favored Cassie, with his thin face and brown hair. His green eyes were hers, as well.
As Aus- tin watched them track the cursor, they were sparking with the
same curious energy he'd seen countless times in Cassie's.
Though he looked for something of his father's genes in the boy, he found none. But then, it had been years since he'd seen Lester Sullivan.
And for all he knew, Tyler might have Lester's personality.
Heaven forbid if that were the case.
"You wanna play a game with me?" Tyler asked, forcing Austin's mind back on track.
"Yeah, don't mind if I do." Austin gave James a knowing look before
crossing the room and sitting beside the boy.
James gave them both an indulgent smile, then said, "I'll be back shortly.
I'd rather do most anything than sit at a computer." "Aw, Papa," Tyler
said with a mischievous grin.
Austin nudged Tyler's arm.
"He's just afraid we'll beat him."
James chuckled.
"You're right about that. Oh, before I get lost, how 'bout you two going
with me to the church's annual youth campout?"
Campout? Austin couldn't imagine James participating in such a thing.
But what the hell, it might be fun.
He looked at Tyler with his eyebrows raised in question.
"How 'bout it, you game?"
"Can we fish, Papa?" Tyler asked, switching his gaze from Austin back to
James. "You betcha." "Do you know how to fish, Austin?" Tyler asked.
Austin drew back and stared at him.
"Are you kidding? I'm a champ at it."
Tyler giggled.
"When can we go?"
"And just where are you going, young man?" Austin whipped his head up.
His vision was instantly filled with Cassie, whose loveliness robbed himof his breath for a moment.
She, too, seemed to have the same problem, or else she was holding hers,looking like she'd seen a ghost. Then almost as quickly, her featureschanged, and she smiled at her son.
"Oh, hi, Mom," Tyler said, then added with flashing eyes, "Me and Austinare going with Papa on a camp- out."
FR1;Fifteen Austin tried to get comfortable on the plush leather sofa inRandall's office. But he couldn't; he was too agitated.
He glanced at his watch and noticed that Randall was already runningthirty minutes late. His secretary had let Austin into the office,assuring him that Randall had called and was on his way.
Like hell, Austin thought, his impatience mounting by the second. Hedidn't have time to waste like this. His desk was overloaded, and if heintended to take a few days off for that church shindig, he had to gethis butt in gear.
Thinking of that outing brought a smile to Austin's lips. He couldn'tbelieve he'd committed himself. But now that he had, he found himselflooking forward to it.
Tyler was a neat kid. If his own had lived, he would someday have beendoing the very same thing. Suddenly that thought was so painful, it hitlike a blow to the chest.
When Austin recovered and could breathe again, his thoughts turned toCassie, who was almost as disturbing. His features turned grimmer.
While she hadn't said Tyler couldn't go, she hadn't said he could,either.
She hadn't been overjoyed at the idea; that was obvious. He'd picked upon that right off.
James, on the other hand, had been oblivious to the tension in the room,assuming that the campout was a given. Austin wasn't that sure.
If he hadn't been going, Tyler's participation would have been assured,but since he was going. His face was bleak but set when the doorsuddenly opened and Randall walked in. Austin stood, and stuck out hishand, only to wish he'd remained seated as another jolt of shock hithim.
"My God, Randall, you look like shit--shit warmed over, to be exact."
Randall's dark, thick hair was mussed, and the wrinkles in his face wereso deeply grooved that he appeared much older than his years.
But it was the look in his gray eyes that concerned Austin. They werestreaked worse than any road map he'd ever seen. A chill shot throughhim.
"Thanks, buddy." Randall's tone was sarcastic, but he still took Austin's hand and shook it.
"Hell, did you sleep in your clothes?" Austin pressed, wanting answers.